On February 24, 2011 a debate was supposed to have taken place at a local university campus: California Polytechnic University, Pomona campus. The debate, between Imam Mustafa Umar and Christian apologist Sam Shamoun, was to be on the topic "Jesus: Prophet or God?" The debate was proposed to the Campus Crusade for Christ chapter by the Muslim Student Association.

Working with Campus Crusade for Christ as an advisor, I suggested we agree to the debate with the condition that we also have a similar event later the same day on the topic "Muhammad: Prophet or Not?" However, the Imam and/or the Muslim Student Association would not agree to debate Muhammad. Apparently he is off limits with it comes to dialog. Muslims wanted the right to openly challenge the deity of Christ, but when we suggested the same sort of critical look be given to Muhammad, they said no. No debate took place that day.

Instead, Imam Mustafa Umar used the time that had been reserved to present the Islamic view of who Jesus is: a mere man and a respected prophet, but certainly not God himself. I video recorded the entire event which lasted about 50 minutes. That video can be seen here.

After hearing the Imam spend a good portion of his time bashing Christianity and the Bible instead of presenting the Islamic view of Jesus, I had to respond. I could not let his statements about Jesus go without response. I could not let him get away with ripping a verse out of context here and there to build the case that Jesus never claimed to be God, when in context the scripture says just the opposite.

The video below is a result of my efforts to respond to Mustafa Umar. I have taken clips from the original video of statements made by him and have recorded a video response to each. If you have an hour, I believe you will find it extrememly instructive as I show the Imam where he errs.

Note: I have sent an email to the Imam personally inviting him to view the video and respond. He wrote back to say he wanted me to put my concerns in writing instead of responding to the video. I doubt he has, or will, see it, but at least he knows it is out there for all the public to see how he makes one glaring error after another.